1. Technical Field
The invention related to the display of three dimensional images. More particularly, the invention relates to methodology to optimize and provide streaming object rotation using composite images. Still more particularly, the invention relates to an innovative method to create and render three-dimensional (3D) representations of a product using photographs for online and offline viewing with a Web browser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various methods have been applied in the past to try and represent products in 3D. These methods range from 3D scanning, modeling, and imaging to photography. Such scanning, modeling, and imaging have often been deployed to create CAD renderings of a product. Although this method can create accurate 3D models of a product, it fails to recreate the life-like textures and details that can be often captured with photography. Even if textural mappings are applied, the resulting image often lacks the realism that can be seen from a single photograph. Often times, for the viewer to see the entire 3D model, the entire model and texture information must be loaded to memory and/or downloaded before presentation is possible. This is a very slow process that discourages viewers from waiting until the model gets loaded.
Using photographs to represent to represent a product in 3D is not a new concept. QuickTime VR Object, X3D, Java 3D, and various Flash-based applications load individual images of a product. Each image represents a different view angle. Then these images are presented to the viewer in a specific sequence based on the order in which they were taken. The term “360 Spin” is often used to represent this concept. One limitation with this method is that no optimization algorithms have been applied to the sequence in which the images are presented to a viewer. The entire image set also must be loaded to memory and/or downloaded before presentation is possible. This can range from 36 images to as many as 720 images. This limitation and lack of optimization often results in lengthy load times.
In the context of overcoming these limitations and lack of optimization, it would be advantageous to provide a new methodology for optimizing and providing object rotation.